Question

Three Mark Questions :
Explain the process of artificial hybridisation to get improved crop variety in
(i) plants bearing bisexual flowers.
(ii) Female parent producing unisexual flowers.

Answer 1

Artificial hybridization is a technique to improve the plant breed by crossing two plants of desired characters. (i) plants bearing bisexual flowers:- Flowers that contain both androecium and gynoecium are called hermaphroditic. Examples of plants with perfect or bisexual flowers include the lily, rose, and most plants with large showy flowers, though a perfect flower does not have to have petals or sepals. (ii) Female parent producing unisexual flowers:- The emasculated flower is immediately enclosed in a bag to prevent pollination by unwanted pollen. This process is called bagging. Then, mature and viable pollen grains are collected from the male parent, the bag is opened and the pollen grains are dusted on the stigma. The bag is replaced immediately. The technique of emasculation is applied only when artificial pollination is carried out in a bisexual flower. If the female parent produces unisexual flowers, emasculation is not needed. The unisexual flower is bagged before the flowers open.